How Jameson Ong Is An Entrepreneur for All Seasons

How Jameson Ong Is An Entrepreneur for All Seasons

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The Sailun Tires and Delidrop chief bares a few of the tried-and-tested mantras that have helped him strive as a Filipino-Chinese entrepreneur in the digital age

In an age where grandiosity and pomp take center stage more than anything else, it helps to find inspiration from leaders who are inquisitive, imaginative, and practical first. Among a host of many descriptives, these are the primary traits you could easily attribute to the mild-mannered Jameson Ong, the current Chief Marketing Officer of Sailun Tires and grassroots entrepreneur. What is the story behind this up-and-coming executive? What are the methods that have made his success so far? Here are just a few of the points that the Sailun Tires chief shared with us as we sat down with him to talk tires, delicatessen, and the values of what makes a quintessential businessman in the digital age.

Entrepreneur by blood

The Filipino-Chinese community is notable for its tradition of cultivating a vibrant business acumen. Fathers and mothers would often pass a lifetime’s worth of valuable learnings onto their children. With Ong being the son of Chinese-born parents who established their roots in the Philippines, the young business leader is a true product of that strong heritage.

Like most niche sectors of society, people often have distorted perceptions towards Filipino-Chinese families. Some believe that Filipino-Chinese families live extravagantly because of their successes in the business world, but such notions are what Ong personally wants to steer clear of in sharing: “I think there’s this stereotype that as a Filipino-Chinese, they have this perception that it’s a glitz and glamorous life. ‘Di ba, there’s this [concept] in psychology that they just see the tip of the iceberg, but it’s not all that behind the scenes.”

Beyond the misconceptions, Ong bares the reality of entrepreneurship as being far from an easy job; adding that behind all of the sleek suits and grand offices is an ocean’s worth of blood, sweat, and tears being spent in managing business operations and ensuring all of the moving pieces remain well-oiled. 

“There is blood, sweat and tears involved in the process. It’s about learning how to manage and having a bird’s eye view on everything to make sure everything goes smoothly from management to operations.”

Jameson Ong on the challenges of being a modern age entrepreneur

In sharing this insight, Jameson is able to preface the reasons behind the success that Sailun Tires has garnered in its arrival in the country, as well as the herculean efforts made by him and his team.

Bringing Sailun to the country

As an established 20-year old brand, Ong only needed a few words to describe what makes Sailun Tires truly different from the rest. Raising the slogan “Sailun is with you through every turn”, these tire manufacturers are famous for their acclaimed customer service and affordable price points without the compromise of quality. In being a widely-trusted trademark in over 50 countries, Ong is proud to have properly translated the identity of Sailun Tires to the Philippines, as well as the warm reception behind it.

“For me, the aim is to provide Filipinos with great quality tires which are affordable… because it’s not about being a luxury brand. We try to always be there for everyone.”

Jameson Ong on the philosophy of Sailun Tires

Despite it being the driving force of Ong and Sailun to rake in a few accolades in the past years, the company’s well-outlined principles would be heavily tested in the onset of an arduous pandemic; an experience which Ong and Sailun Tires faced by painstakingly persevering to maintain good service and quality to their clients despite the slowing down of regular processes and practices.

It seems that this sacrifice would not be for nothing, as despite the pandemic, Sailun would go on to enlist Manila Mayor Isko Moreno as its primary endorser, who in turn donated his talent fee to Museo Pambata. Ong excitedly shared that the mayor was quite a professional person to work with and was truly a no-brainer fit to represent Sailun. The young business owner stressed that both parties exude a self-made, working-class confidence that selflessly caters to all Filipinos and seeing all of them as “pantay-pantay”, explaining: “We chose him because I think we share the same goals in producing our products of the utmost quality, in the same way that he would want the same quality of life for the Filipino.”

Eyes on the road

Despite such restrictive circumstances, Ong seems to still find a silver lining through it all; sowing a few hopeful entrepreneurial seeds to compliment his work with Sailun. In 2020, the young business leader launched an online specialty food store in delidrop.ph, an online store that offers everything from high-quality fresh cuts to imported gourmet goods.

Perhaps one thing that Ong’s highly-acclaimed tire brand and budding specialty food store share in common—apart from being true digital outlets fit for the current age—is that both projects are fuelled by Ong’s intense passion. As a lifelong lover of both cars and good food, the young business leader has not only been able to dedicate a great amount of his time to his ventures; but also his own personality and soul to his endeavors because these are fields that Ong would be genuinely interested in, even if he wasn’t being paid for it. While seemingly cliché, such a simple message seems to ring true even for top-level executives in massive industries.

When asked what advice he would give to fellow business owners like him, Ong emphasized on the importance of maintaining a life outside of work and keeping yourself mentally at bay with hobbies and friends despite being busy, stating: “For me there should always be a balance in everything.”

To shop Sailun Tires, visit them at their official online store at Lazada. For more information, visit Sailun Tires at their official website and follow them at their official Facebook and Instagram accounts for the latest updates.

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